Adrian Gonzalez named Dodger nominee for 2014 Hank Aaron Award
Fans Can Vote Through October 5 at MLB.com; Award Recognizes Most Outstanding Offensive Performers in Each League. Hall of Fame Panel Led by Hank Aaron Includes Roberto Alomar, Johnny Bench, Paul Molitor, Eddie Murray, Frank Thomas and Robin Yount
Major League Baseball and MLB Advanced Media announced that Adrian Gonzalez was named the Dodgers' nominee for the 2014 Hank Aaron Award.
Fans can vote exclusively online at MLB.com and the 30 Club sites. For the fifth consecutive year, a special panel of Hall of Fame players led by Hank Aaron will join fans in voting for the award, which is officially sanctioned by Major League Baseball and has recognized the most outstanding offensive performer in each League since it was established in 1999.
Gonzalez led the Majors with 116 RBI, the first Dodger to do so since Matt Kemp in 2011, while batting .276 and leading the Dodgers with 41 doubles (3rd, NL) and 27 home runs (6th, NL) in 159 games. The 32-year-old was one of the best clutch hitters in the game, batting .333 with runners in scoring position (62-for-186), the sixth-best mark in the National League. He paced the Dodgers' offensive second-half surge with a .314 batting average (75-for-239), 20 doubles, 13 homers and 56 RBI in 65 games, including tying with Matt Kemp for the Major League lead with 25 RBI and blasting eight home runs (T-2nd, MLB) in 25 September games during the club's postseason push.
Gonzalez reached the 20-home run mark for the eighth time in nine full MLB seasons since 2006 and topped 100 RBI for the fifth consecutive season and seventh time in his career. Since joining the Dodgers in 2012, Gonzalez leads the club in hits (377), doubles (83), home runs (52), RBI (238) and games played (352).
The Hall of Fame panel led by Aaron includes some of the greatest offensive players of all-time -Roberto Alomar, Johnny Bench, Paul Molitor, Eddie Murray, Frank Thomas and Robin Yount. These Hall of Famers - who combined for 16,956 hits, 8,844 RBI and 2,109 home runs - have all been personally selected by Aaron to lend their expertise to select the best offensive performer in each League.
Through October 5, fans will have the opportunity to select one American League and one National League winner from a list comprising of one finalist per Club. The winners of the 2014 Hank Aaron Award will be announced during the 2014 World Series.
Past winners of the Hank Aaron Award include: Miguel Cabrera and Paul Goldschmidt (2013); Cabrera and Buster Posey (2012); Jose Bautista and Matt Kemp (2011); Bautista and Joey Votto (2010); Derek Jeter and Albert Pujols (2009); Aramis Ramirez and Kevin Youkilis (2008); Alex Rodriguez and Prince Fielder (2007); Jeter and Ryan Howard (2006); David Ortiz and Andruw Jones (2005); Manny Ramirez and Barry Bonds (2004); Rodriguez and Pujols (2003); Rodriguez and Bonds (2001-02); Carlos Delgado and Todd Helton (2000) and Manny Ramirez and Sammy Sosa (1999).
The Hank Aaron Award was introduced in 1999 to honor the 25th Anniversary of Aaron breaking Babe Ruth's all-time home run record, and, at that time, was the first major award introduced by Major League Baseball in more than 25 years.